Kimisopa cleaning up Goroka

IT is gratifying to see a parliamentarian actually walking the walk and endeavouring to get his district on the right path.
Goroka MP Bire Kimisopa certainly has not wasted any time to see that his electorate begins his second five-year tenure in the best possible circumstances.
Last week, an advertisement was taken out in this paper calling for a return of “all public assets belonging to the people of Goroka”.
The Goroka joint district planning and budget priorities committee (JDP&BPC), under the chairmanship of Kimisopa, has begun in earnest recovery action against persons/custodians or agents in possession of or using unlawfully state assets in the form of motor vehicles, plant and equipment inclu­ding earthmoving and farming machinery.
Imagine that, an MP trying to recoup state assets rather than, as is the case with most electorates, write it off as a loss and wait for the next district budget session to heap more (avoidable) costs on the taxpayer.
Bravo to Kimisopa and his initiative. It shows he is thinking about the larger picture of developing Goroka but is not neglecting to dot his i’s and cross his t’s.  The public notice went on to state that there would be punitive measures taken in the form of civil and criminal proceedings against anyone who was in possession of “stolen property” to recover the “monies and properties”. There is even a deadline for the return of the state’s property – this Friday, Aug 31.
Kudos to the Goroka MP for his stance against the status quo, of letting the current trends dictate how he plans the progress of his electorate.
One of the main setbacks new MPs have to deal with at the beginning of their terms is a district government that has not progressed appreciably since the last MP’s term or, more often than not, one that is in a shambles. The disarray usually follows when cronies of the former member and those appointed during his reign claim state property or simply steal it under the pretext of having done one service or another for the district.
This behaviour is rife in provinces throughout the country. It is one of
the reasons why the various district offices are unable to do their duties.
It is not for us to speculate here what state the Eastern Highlands’ provincial capital and its surrounds are in, but this situation is indicative of a perennial problem. It seems that with every new leader coming into office, the electorate must re-set and re-fit itself to a new set of priorities and directives.
Kimisopa’s return, however, is a welcome sign for the electorate as he has been widely recognised as a professional and someone who has the acuity to get the job done. In his previous term (2002-07), Kimisopa, a lawyer by profession, was appointed the internal security minister.
He is perhaps best known for his heading of a ministerial committee tasked with producing a comprehensive report on the impact of guns and other dangerous weapons on Papua New Guinea society. That report was completed on schedule and tabled in parliament. The recommendations contained within have yet to be implemented.
Despite this, it was clear from the beginning that the Goroka MP was an individual capable of undertakings most MPs would balk at – his notice is the latest proof. We hope that Kimisopa’s actions are to a large extent mirrored by his brother MPs.
It would be hugely reassuring if every MP instituted a “stock take” of their districts of the expenditures and the results of government spending at the micro level.
What also needs to be produced in a short time are plans for the district, both annual and an overall five-year. This should be a prerequisite for MPs at the beginning of a term.
If there is a set of standards, the success of an MP’s time in power should be measured against, it should be if he or she brought any tangible and discernible improvement to the electorate. Are there better roads? Were schools assisted in a sustainable way? Were opportunities provided for the people to earn a living? Was the standard of health care improved? For all the money spent on the electorate what has been the overall effect?
Obviously these indicators must be backed up by facts and figures and it is no small matter if it is to be done right.
That is why the people of Goroka should feel confident in their man because he has already got the ball rolling in his electorate.